Never Saw That Coming
by CCMoore
Summary: Two-Bits mother had always told Darry that he should lock the front door because someone could rob them.  Darry never listened because he wanted his friends to have a save place to go. Now he's gonna regret that choice. A lot of this is in Soda's Pov.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders characters, I am just doing this fun!**

Chapter One

I awoke that morning expecting a typical day and that's excatly the way it started. I showered and got ready for work and then headed to the kitchen to eat breakfast. There I found my brothers, Ponyboy and Darry already seated at the table. I sat down and began eating the eggs that Darry had sat on a plate in front of me.

"Knock, knock," came a voice from the door and we all looked up to find Steve and Two-Bit headed inside.

Our door is never locked simply because a lot of the people we know sometimes need a place to crash. Just about everyone in our neighborhood has slept on our couch at one time or another.

"Hey Soda, you better hurry and eat or you're gonna make us late," Darry told me.

Quickly I gobbled down my breakfast and put the plate in the sink. I ran to the bedroom to grab my socks and shoes and once again Darry yelled for me to hurry. After grabbing them I rushed back into the living room and out the door yelling goodbye to my baby brother and Two-Bit. I couldn't help but smile today seemed to be going perfectly at least as perfect as you can get after everything that we had been through in the last year. First, our parents had been killed in a car wreck and then two of our friends, Johnny and Dally had died after Johnny had killed a soc named Bob Sheldon. Then to top it all off my girlfriend had dumped me. Things had been difficult for us lately but they were definetly looking up.

Darry dropped Steve and I off at the DX where we both worked and then headed to his job. Our boss was already there and he checked his watch as we clocked in.

"Don't you think that as long as you two have been working here you could manage to show up more than five minutes before your supposed to?" he asked us.

"What's it matter we're on time ain't we?" Steve answered.

"It matters because for once I might like to tell you something before customers come rushing in, Randle!"

"Then tell us to be an hour earlier and then you'll have plenty of time to talk before we open," Steve smiled.

Our boss just rolled his eyes before heading to his office. That day was pretty slow, well slow, for a Saturday. Most of the time we were pretty busy on the weekends but for some reason today we had only had a few customers. By closing time, I was becoming more and more antsy. I can't stand it when there is nothing do. It's like I'm gonna bust if my body's not doing something. The phone rang and it was Darry calling to tell us that he was running late so we'd have to walk home. Oh well, I thought, at least we won't be standing around doing nothing. Steve wasn't real happy about having to walk.

" Oh come on buddy walking won't kill ya. Besides the socs ain't been on our side since the rumble plus there's two of us if they do get any ideas bout coming this way."

"Fine," he sighed.

We hollered that we were leaving to our boss and headed home.

**Author's Note: I know this chapter is short but this is my first Outsider's fanfic and I'm still adjusting. Reviews and suggestions would be helpful. But remember I'm new to this so please be nice.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

It wasn't quite dark yet but it would be soon so Steve and I quickened our pace. I know Pony was probably home and hopefully Two-Bit would be there with me. I didn't really like the idea of him being alone. We reached the house and just as I had hoped Two-Bit was still there. I kinda figured he would be. Pony had already started dinner: roast beef with carots, onions, and potatoes. It smelled great.

"Hey guys, where's Darry?" Pony asked from the kitchen.

"He had to work late so we walked home," I smiled opening the fridge and taking a swig of chocolate milk.

"Oh are you two staying for dinner?" Ponyboy asked nodding to Steve and Two-Bit.

"Might as well," Two-Bit shrugged, " My mom's probably not home yet and I really don't fell like making something for myself"

"Like you could," I laughed.

"Hey I will have you know that I do know how to cook, I just choose not to. Why would I, when I can eat over here for free and not have to do worry about pesky little things like making sure it don't burn or cleaning up afterwards."

I just shook my head smiling, I knew only about half of that was true and it was the part about him knowing how to cook. A few minutes later, Pony announced that dinner was ready just as Darry walked through the door. We all sat down and ate followed by a quick game of cards after the cleaning was done. Two-Bit and Steve left shortly after the card game and Pony, Darry and I retreated to our rooms to go to sleep.

I guess it was about an hour later when I awoke to Pony shaking my shoulder, "Soda, Soda, wake up. I heard someone slam the door."

" Go back to sleep Pony it's probably just someone coming to crash on the couch," I replied groggily.

"No it can't be no one we know would slam the door," just as Pony spoke I heard glass shatter.

"Stay here," I said grabbing the baseball bat from the corner.

"But Soda-" he started before I cut him off.

"Pony I ain't asking I'm telling you stay here. Lock the door and don't open until me or Darry tell you. No matter what, alright?"

I walked out the bedroom door and headed to the living room. My nerves were on edge but I was still praying hoping that it was just Steve or Two-Bit or someone else from our neighboorhood needing a place to crash. Through the dark I could see a tall figure in front of me. Slowly I snuck up behind them raising the bat. The figure turned and I could tell it was only Darry.

"Jesus Soda, you scared the shit outta me, " he half shouted.

"I was gonna say the same thing to you. Do you know who's in the living room?"

"No I heard glass breaking and was just about to check it out when you came down the hall ready to bash my head in. Where's Pony anyways?"

"He's in the bedroom. I told him to stay there until me or you came and got him."

"Good let's go."

We countined down the hallway quitely. Upon reaching the living room we found the door wide open and the couch empty. Just as I was about to turn towards the kitchen, I heard Darry scream, " Soda, look out!"

I felt a hard whack to the back of my head. The last thing I saw was Darry's terror stricken face before the blackness engulfed me.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: I know I said that this was all gonna be in Soda's POV but since I knocked him out in the last chapter, I didn't want to just skip to him waking up cause I would lose a lot of action opportunity so part of this chapter will be in Darry's POV and part will be in Ponyboy's POV. It also gives me an opportunity to show just how much Soda means to both of them. Anyways, I hope you like it and please keep reviewing I throughly enjoy reading them. **

Chapter Three

I saw the guy hit Soda and my eyes went wide. No, not Soda, my brain screamed. Soda and Pony were my whole world, I loved them more than anything. There was just something about Soda though, something that made me feel that if I lost him, I would be lost too. The guy had collabered Soda with a gun and he was now standing over him waiting for him to get up again. The bat that Soda had been carrying was laying next to his limp body and I reached for it but the guy caught me.

"Don't move!" he shouted, " Or I'll kill him!"

I held my hands up in surrender immeaditely part of my mind was screaming grab him but the other part told me not to. He'll kill him if you do, it said, and even though I didn't know the guy I knew by the tone of his voice that he was serious about his threat.

"What do you want?" I asked looking down at him.

He was shorter than me by a couple of inches, a little bit thinner too. I couldn't make out any destinctive features about him because it was so dark.

"What the hell do you think I want? I want money, valuables, anything you got that's worth something."

" I don't have much cash and the only thing we have that's worth anything is probably the piano and the tv," I anwered him quickly.

"God Dammit!" he shouted and kicked Soda's still form in the side.

"Hey there's no need to hurt anyone. You can just leave, my brother and I haven't seen anything, we won't tell the cops. I'll give you the money I have it's only about fifty bucks and you can walk outta here free and clear. "

He didn't respond immeaditely and he looked to be considering my offer. I prayed that he took it I was willing to give it up the cash even if was our rent money just to keep Soda safe. The guy was just about to answer me when I heard a small voice whisper my name. Soda's assailant heard it too and we both looked down thinking that it was Soda regaining consciousness but he still hadn't moved and inch. I immeaditely knew who it was there was only one other person it could be and that was Ponyboy.

"Whoever is there you better get out here right now where I can see you. You don't and I'll kill the hall of famer right now," he said squatting down and placing the gun against the back of Soda's head.

"It's okay Pony just come out and stand by me," I said shakily. I was silently cursing him for not listening to Soda when he had told him to stay put. Now I had to worry about keeping both of them from getting shot instead of just one.

**Ponyboy's POV**

If I would have just listened, I thought, after hearing the threat to my brother's life, we wouldn't be in this mess. I emerged slowly from the hallway and saw Darry standing there. His face as usual was unreadable but his eyes told me that he was scared beyond belief. I stood by him and looked down at the floor where Soda lay.

"What did you do to my brother?" I shouted without thinking.

"Same thing I'll do to you if you don't shut it kid," he answered standing back up and aiming the gun that I now saw he held in my direction.

I could feel Darry push me behind and I offered no resistance. My eyes were fixed on Soda he wasn't moving and in the darkness I couldn't even tell if he was alive or not. He has to be, I thought, he just has to be. I can't lose him not after losing so many people I loved already. Losing Soda would break me, it would break our family. He was what held us together, it wasn't the money , it was Soda. If we lost him now Darry and I would never make it we would never have a chance to truly get to know one another and understand each other. Soda was everything to both of us.

"So you gonna take me up on my offer?" Darry asked hands still raised in the air.

"Why should I?"

"Cause it's the best and easist solution for all of us. You take the money and leave and we'll just go on with the rest of our night. Everyone gets what they want."

"What about him?" the man asked indicating Soda.

Darry froze and I did too what did he mean what about Soda.

"What about him? You leave and we'll make sure he's ok. If we do have to take him to the hospital we'll just tell him that he fell or something or that he got in a fight something like that," Darry answered calmly.

How could he be so damn calm? Our brother is lying on the floor of our living room unconscious and we are all three being threatened by some stranger who seems to think he's gonna make a ton of money by robbing us. I mean did the bastard even look at the neighboorhood or the house before he decided to bust in here. I mean, honestly, it was so obivious that we weren't rich.

"So what do ya say?" Darry aked him again.

The man smiled holding his gun up and laughed, "I've got a better idea."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Ok, this chapter will go back to Soda's POV**

Chapter Four

I could faintly hear my brother's voices as I tried to pull myself out of the darkness. Darry was talking to someone who's voice I didn't recogonize and I could have sworn that I had heard Pony's voice as well. I told him to stay put, I thought, sometimes I think Darry is right about him not listening. I could hear the other voice stating that he had a better idea as a groan escaped my lips. Unaware of anything else, I tried to open my eyes and move my body. Slowly they came into focus and even though it was still dark I could now make out the outline of three figures hovering over me.

"Soda, are you awake, little buddy?" I heard Darry ask.

"Ya but I was just curious if anybody got the liscense number from the truck that hit me," I half-smiled unaware that it probably was not the best time to be making jokes.

"Get up!" I heard a voice growl as I was hauled to my feet.

"Whoa, what the hell is going on?" I asked still a little dazed.

"Please mister, don't hurt him. W-we'll doing anything you want just please, please don't hurt my brother," Pony pleaded.

Everything that happened thus far came flooding back to me and instantly I knew that I was probably not in a good position at the moment. My suspcions were confirmed when I felt cold metal against the side of my head and a strong arm force me in front of him as though I was a shield. Instantly I looked towards Darry and Pony. They were both within arms reach of me but I still couldn't get to them.

"Now here's what's gonna happen. First off I want that money you said you had. Secondly, I want the keys to that truck I saw outside. Thirdly, I want you two," he barked indicating Darry and Pony, "to carry that tv and piano out and load it up. I am gonna keep ahold of junior here just in case you get any ideas about making a break for it or attacking me. Then after you have done what I asked I'll leave."

"Ok, ok. No worries we'll do what you want let's all just try to keep a cool head here," Darry said calmly.

His voice sounded calm and collected but I could still here the apprehensive tone and I knew like me he was scared out of his mind. I started shaking involuntarily. I didn't want to, I wanted to show this guy whoever the hell he was that he wasn't getting to me but I couldn't, for some reason my reflexes were taking over and I countied to shake. Now's not the time, I told myself, now is not the time to be weak. You gotta be strong, You have no choice, both Darry and Pony need to be strong. Don't crumble now, don't fail them. I kept repeating these words to myself over and over hoping that my mind would take over my body.

Darry moved towards the hallway but the guy stopped him.

"Where you going?"

"You want the money and the truck keys don't ya? Well they're in my room on my dresser," Darry answered him.

"No way big guy. I'm not that stupid. I ain't about to let you go that way and then came sneaking up behind me."

"Why would I do that?" Darry replied angrily," Do you really think that I would endanger my brother's life that way?"

"I don't know, Superman. I do know that you ain't going anywhere, have the runt get it."

He called him Superman, no one calls Darry that by us. How would he know that? Now I was really getting nervous, did the guy know us? And if he did who the hell would want to hurt us like this and why? All these questions were coursing through my brain as Pony turned and headed down the hall.

"Remember kid no bright ideas or you'll be cleaning up brain matter from the floor and the walls. Oh and next time you might wanna consider locking the door. You just made it way to easy."

I can't believe this happening. Things were getting back to normal. We'd been through so much and managed to stay together and now this, now someone was trying to take that all away by taking advantage of our hospitality. This can't be happening, this can not be happening.

Just as Pony was coming back we all heard the squeaking of the screen door and immeaditely our attention was drawn to it. Oh great now someone comes in to use the couch. Normally that wouldn't bother me but now it meant that someone else had been thrown into this situation and depending on who it was, I might not be able to prevent their reaction to what was taking place.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

As the door opened more I could feel the man tighten his grip on me.

"Not one word," he whisphered into my ear.

I could smell his alcohol soaked breath and as he straightend his stance again I could feel whiskers brush past my ear. Ok so he either has a mustache or he hasn't shaved in a couple of weeks, I thought. Since I couldn't see him because it was so dark I was trying to get some sort of description of him by what I could feel. I mean he was holding me hostage I had to have something to tell the cops when and if they ever were called.

The new player to this sick little game did something to help that out, he flicked on the lliving room light. Great at least we'll be able to see the bastard and the terror we were really facing. I saw that it had been Steve who had entered our house, he must have gotten in another fight with his dad. Normally, I would be glad he came over but right now I wasn't. Part of it was cause I was in no position to comfort him and part of it cause I knew his temper was probably on high alert. I didn't want him doing something stupid that would piss our captor off and in turn get all of us killed.

"Hey Darry," he said apparently not noticing me, " I'm gonna crash on your couch tonight. Got in a fight with the old man and of course he told me to leave and never come back. I figured you be asleep by now, did I wake ya?"

"No,"Darry said moving to the right.

"What the hell is going on here?" Steve yelled moving closer upon seeing me in this guy's grip.

"You picked the wrong night to come crawling over here pal," our captor answered pressing the gun harder into my temple, "Now you get to help your buddies here move some stuff around."

"And what happens if I don't want to?"

God Steve shut the hell up, I said to myself. I mean was he blind did he not see the gun, did he not see the psycho holding it against my head? Right then I really wanted to knock some sense into him and I could tell Darry did too just by the glare he was giving Steve.

"You don't gotta choice," he answered cocking the gun, my body stiffening as I heard the bullet slip into the chamber.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Darry said turning back to us, " Let's not do anything rash, Steve's just kidding he'd be more than happy to help me and Pony. Wouldn't you Steve?"

As he said this he turned back to my best friend who was still glaring at the man behind me.

"Fine," he finally spit out venomsly.

Pony hadn't uttered a word since coming back in and when I looked over to him I could see that he was shaking.

"It's gonna be ok,Pony,I promise," I said trying to calm him down.

"Don't make promises you can't keep kid," the man said.

Pony, Darry and now Steve were standing there and now that the light was on I could see the sheer terror in their faces. Even though it was a little comforting to have the light on and to be able to see them somewhere inside me I wished that I didn't have to see them because all three of them could see our tormentor and all three of them appeared to recogonize him.

**Darry's POV**

I can't believe it, I thought as I finally got a good look at the guy holding Soda, I thought he was in jail or had skipped town or something. I never expected to see him again least of all standing in my living room threatening to kill my brothers. Had he really changed that much, was he really capable of killing Soda?

"Well what the hell are you waiting for I told you to load that shit up now get to it!" he shouted.

I had to get us outta this I just had to. Hell this my fault anyways. Mrs. Matthews had warned me about this but I just wouldn't listen. I thought I knew best. I thought I was protecting my buddies by leaving the door unlocked, protecting them from blowing up. But now I realizied that even if I had been protecting my buddies, I hadn't been protecting my brothers. God I promise to fix this, I silently prayed, just give me another chance and I'll fix it. Keep them safe too, don't make my brothers pay for something I did.

**Pony's POV**

I heard that man yell at Darry as he stood dazed, he looked at the man like he knew him but I didn't. He was shorter than Darry but taller than Soda. He had almost the same build as Soda did but he had darker hair. It was kind of an auburn color. He had a mustache that was the same color only you could see little patches of grey in it. He was defintely a lot older than us. After coming back to reality, I felt Darry and Steve shove past me towards the piano.

"Pony, grab the tv, Steve and I got this,"Darry said firmly.

Without a word I moved towards the tv and that's when it happened. The guy was too busy paying attention to Steve warry of him and his big mouth to notice Darry was now behind him. Darry grabbed the guys arm shoving Soda to the floor at the same time. Out of fright I crawled behind the tv as Darry tried to force the gun down and out of his hands. He had finally forced him to lower it when the gun went off. It was the loudest noise, I had ever heard.

It suprised the both of them giving the man just enough time to break out of Darry's hold on him. He stumbled slightly then went scrambling across the living room and out the front door. I thought they were gonna follow him but Darry just stood there his eyes glued to the floor. I turned my attention to what he was staring out and saw the most horrible thing ever. Soda , my happy-go-lucky brother, the guy who had never hurt anyone was laying there with a gunshot wound to his shoulder.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

I felt a strong force push me to the ground and I knew it had to be Darry cause it knocked the wind outta me for a second. As soon as I caught my breath I flipped over and that's when I saw it. I couldn't believe what I was looking at or rather who I was looking at, it was Roger Matthews, Two-Bit's dad. What the hell he did all this? Why would he wanna do something like this to us. We had all been so young when he took off but before he did he used to talk to my dad, they were friends. I saw Darry struggling with him but after that I don't remember much of what I saw only what I felt. I felt a white hot pain, nothing like I had ever felt before. I felt my shirt getting wet and I felt my body start to shake again. I felt myself start to cry from the pain. I wanted the pain to stop but it didn't, it just kept surging through me.

"Oh god, oh god, Soda," I heard Darry say.

He was bending over me and he took his shirt off and pressed it against my shoulder only making the pain worse.

"Darry, what the hell happened? Why would Roger wanna hurt us? He used to be one of Dad's best friend's?" I rambled weakly.

"I don't know, little buddy. But you're gonna be ok. It's just a shoulder wound. CALL AN AMBULANCE NOW STEVE!"

"AHH!" I screamed as the pain surged through me again,"It hurts, Darry, it hurts bad."

"I know brother, I know but you gotta hold on. Just keep talking to me, don't give in buddy don't give in."

"Ambulance is coming," I heard Steve say as he knelt down beside us, "Was that who I think it was,Darry?"

"Your damn right it was. I can't believe he's changed so much."

"Who was it Darry? I mean he looked kinda familar like I knew him from somewhere I just can't place where," Pony squeaked.

I didn't figure Pony would remember him he was so young when Roger ran out on Two-Bit and his family.

"It was Roger Matthews, kid, Two-Bit's father." Steve said a little aggaitated.

I tried to listen to them but my mind was getting fuzzy and it was getting harder to stay awake. I tried to close my eyes but Darry stopped me by shouting don't go to sleep. I wanted to holler back at him and tell him to relax but I just didn't make the effort. It would have been an enormous effort too cause I could feel the energy being drained from me. Pony was squatted down next to Darry and Steve now and I could see the tears streaming down his face.

"Don't cry, Pone, I'm gonna be alright. I promised you remember. When have you ever known me to break a promise, huh?" I asked at least that's what I tried to say the words might have not come out that clearly because Pony just looked at me with a confused look on his face.

I was getting sleepier and sleepier. Finally when I heard the sirens from the ambulance getting closer, I just surrendered to the pull of unconsciousness, fading quietly into the black abyss.

**Darry's POV**

As I watched Soda pass out, it took every effort not to shake him.

"Dammit, Soda, wake up. This ain't funny, you promised Pony and I'll be damned if you're gonna break that promise." I shouted at him.

I hadn't meant to scream at him like that, I knew he was confused and in pain. I just didn't know what else to do. Seconds later the paramedics arrived and they immeaditely began to analyze what was wrong with him. They placed him on a strecher and started barking questions at me. How long ago did it happen? How long has he been passed out? What's his name? How old is he? Is he on any medication?

I answered them swiftly even though I didn't want to all I wanted them to do was get him to the hospital and get him fixed up. Then we could go back to normal. Soda could be home and grinning that grin of his that seems to light up the whole world.

"Mom, Dad, I know you love him but please don't take him from us right now. Let him stay a little longer," I whisphered glancing at one of their pictures on the wall.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Okay folks here's the next chapter. I am on a roll and with my hubby at work (he's a well tester, oilfield stuff, we live in West Texas) and the baby asleep I have no one to interupt me so the words keep flowing from my mind through my fingers and onto the screen. Here goes, I hope you like it as much as the previous ones. Let me know, read and review. **

Chapter Seven

I followed the paramedics as they wheeled Soda out the door. Pony and Steve were beside me when they told us that only one of us could ride along. Steve told me to go ahead and that he'd bring Pony down to the hospital in his car. Soda was out cold the whole ride and all I could do was silently punish myself for being so stupid. I had caused all of this. I hadn't locked the door, I hadn't made sure that Soda was out of the way before I pushed the guys arm down. I had done all of this and now he was paying for it. I am constantly on Pony's case about not thinking things through and yet here we were all because I hadn't thought things through enough. Damn this was agony.

When we got to the hospital they wheeled Soda into the emergency room but they wouldn't let me go with him. I was forced to stay in the waiting room and had the tedious task of filling out paperwork. Pony and Steve came running in seconds later.

"Well have you heard anything? How bad is it? Is he gonna be okay?" Steve was firing questions off so fast I could hardly keep up.

Pony didn't say anything he just stood there. His tears had stopped and I knew that he was just trying to put on a brave face for me, he didn't wanna cry in front of me. He hardly cried in front of me at all in fact tonight at the house after Soda was shot was the first time I'd seen him cry since the night in the park when Soda had begged us to stop fighting. We had both cried then right along with Soda who considered himself the bawl baby of the family.

"No," I answered Steve finally, " I haven't heard a thing we just got here right before y'all."

"What are we gonna tell Two-Bit?" Pony finally asked.

Damn, I hadn't even considered that. Two-Bit was like family to all of us and for him to learn that his dad had broken into our house and shot Soda would be a major blow.

"Should we call him?"

"No let's wait until we know how Soda's doing before we do that besides it's late," I said glancing at the clock on the wall it was almost 2am.

Why did the worst things that happened to us recently seem to occur at or around that time? I mean was that an unlucky number for us or something? As I was pondering this, a doctor entered the waiting room asking for the family of Sodapop Curtis.

"That's us," I said as the three of us rush to meet him.

"Well I'm Dr. Richardson and I worked on your,," he said leading us to finish his sentence.

"Brother, he's our brother."

"Fine then your brother, Sodapop, and I have to tell you that he seems to be a very lucky young man. The bullet went all the way through and he doesn't seem to have sustained any permanent damage, although, he will probably require some physical therapy to help him regain normal use of that arm. Now, I won't lie to you, he did lose a lot of blood, because the bullet nicked a major artery. We are giving him blood right now and he's in critical condition still due to the blood loss. However, he is stable. "

I believed a sigh of relief, he's stable. He got lucky, no, we got lucky.

"When can we see him?" Pony asked

"That probably won't happen for a few hours. Like I said he is still critical and he hasn't regained consciousness yet. But I will keep you updated on his condition and let you know if anything changes until then."

"Thank you doctor," I sighed.

**Meanwhile across town...Roger's POV**

God dammit, I didn't mean to shoot the kid. I sure as hell meant to scare them but I didn't mean to kill them. I just needed some money, Darrel used to give me money when I asked for it but he wasn't there for some reason just his damn kids. What the hell was I gonna do now? I ran down the street searching for somewhere, anywhere I could hide for a little while. Finally I decided the best place for me to go was my old house. I had talked to my wife earlier today at the cafe where she worked she wasn't real happy to see me but I figured what the hell. I'd just act normal and tell her that I wanted to see the kids.

I knocked on the door of the house we once shared and after a few minutes I heard a groggy voice shout " Yeah, yeah, I'm coming." I knew the voice to be that of my son, Keith.

He opened the door and stood there staring at me for a few seconds. I decided that I better speak first.

"Hello there Keith, did you miss me?"

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Come on now Keith, is that anyway to greet your father after all these years?"

"My father, pff," he scoffed, " You're no father. You high tailed it out of town like your ass was on fire years ago. You ain't no father to me. So just get the hell outta here."

He was about to slam the door when I heard my wife come down the hall and ask him who was at the door at this hour. Upon seeing me she asked me the same thing that my son had, "What the hell are you doing here?"


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: This chapter is gonna be in Two-Bit's mother's pov, the book doesn't mention her first name so I had to make one up. Her name is Cynthia. As always, read and review please.**

Chapter Eight

**Cindy's POV**

I couldn't believe he was standing there acting like nothing was wrong. I waited for him to answer my question but he just stood there.

"You gonna let me in?" Roger asked.

"Roger, it's late why don't you just tell me what you want so I can say no and you can be on your way again."

"Come on Cindy, I really need to talk to you and it's important and it can't wait."

"So talk."

"I would rather we do it in private,"he said glancing at our son who I had almost forgetten was still standing there,"Keith why don't you go on back to bed."

"You can't tell me what to do."

Roger looked at me pleading and for some reason, I gave in,"Keith, honey, go on back to bed. Everything's alright."

"Are you sure, Mom?"

"Yes I'm sure."

He relucantly agreed and headed back down the hallway to his bedroom. I made sure his door was closed before I let Roger in. We headed to the living room, where I turned on the lamp as he plopped down on the couch.

"Keith looks good. He seems to be doing alright."

"Enough with the small talk, Roger, just spill it what the hell are you doing here? At two o'clock in the morning no less! I told you at the cafe this afternoon not to come here and I meant it. Now what the hell do you want?" I spat at him.

I was exsaperated. Who did he think he was? I told him to stay away and he shows up on my doorstep and acts as if nothing is wrong and he expects me to welcome him with open arms. Unbelievable!

"Cindy, I did something really bad."

"Why doesn't that suprise me? Ok, Roger what did you now?"

"I shot someone, I might have even killed him."

"What?"

"I didn't mean to do it, I really didn't, I only had the gun as a scare tactic. I didn't plan on actually using it. I went over to ask Darrel for some money but he wasn't there just his kids."

"Wait, Darrel? As in Darrel Curtis?" I asked him and he nodded, "That's because he's dead Roger the Curtis' were killed in a car wreck almost a year and a half ago."

"They were?"

"Yes, they were. His boys are living in the house now and they only get to stay together if Soda and Pony stay out of trouble. I can't believe you would do something like this they're just kids!"

"Will you let me finish?"

"Fine, finish."

"Well, I went in the front door which was unlocked for some reason and I was rumaging around looking for anything that I could money for. I accidently knocked a couple of pictures off the wall and well the two older boys, Soda and Darry, came in to see what the noise was. Soda was carrying a bat so I hit him on the back of the head. I swear to you Cindy that I was only trying to make him drop the bat, I wasn't looking to knock him out but I did. Well then I told Darry that I needed money and valuables. He told me they didn't have much. Only fifty bucks, a piano, and an old tv. I said fine well then the youngest one, Pony, he came in then the kid on the floor Soda well he woke up so I used him to get the other two to do what I wanted. Then the door opened up and the Randle kid Steve came in so I threatend Soda again to get him to help the others load the tv and stuff. And that's when all hell broke loose."

"What did you do? What did you do to them?" Keith's voice shouted from the entryway.

I hadn't been aware that he was even standing there and apparently neither had Roger cause he had this look of shock on his face after Keith had spoken.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

"I-I shot him, I shot the kid I was holding as a hostage. I shot Soda." Roger stammerred at Keith's question.

"You what? You shot him, how could you?" Keith fired back charging towards his father.

I stepped in between, I knew Keith was angry. Hell, I was too, but after what Roger had just told us, I wasn't sure if he would hurt Keith or not and I wasn't willing to take that chance.

"I promise you son that I didn't mean to but the big guy Darry he grabbed me from behind and the gun went off. I didn't go there to intentionally hurt someone, honest."

"Oh yeah well then why'd you take a gun?"

I decided that I needed to get Keith out of the situation as quickly as possible so I told him to go down to the hospital and see what he could find out about Soda. He left fuming with anger.

"You son of a bitch," I said turning to Roger as soon Keith had left, "How could you do something like this? That boy is just kid, the child of someone you once called a friend. And you shot him. Whether you meant to or not you still shot him. Not to mention the fact that our son and all three of those boys are so close that they consider each other family. I bet you didn't even see if he was alright before you hightailed outta there. No you didn't you ran just like you always do. Get the hell outta here you bastard, get out and don't come back!"

That was it I had had enough of Roger Matthews. He better not ever come back here again. I wanted nothing more to do with a man who could shoot a child and then run out as if it were nothing.

**Steve's POV**

I sat in the waiting room waiting for any more word on Soda but the doctor said he still hadn't regained conciousness yet. I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. All I knew was that I wanted my best friend to wake up. I wanted to hear him talk that way I would know for sure that things could get back to normal. I hoped Soda didn't react to this the way Pony had when Johnny and Dally had first died. The kid was a wreck. Hopefully that won't happen with Soda, hopefully he'll just get better and go back to the way he was before. I was so happy that the doc had said he was gonna be fine cause I didn't know if I could function if I lost him. We'd been best friends almost our entire lives and it just wouldn't be the same without him. I looked to my left and Pony was asleep with his head on Darry's shoulder. I wish Soda could see this, I thought, he'd be bouncing off the walls. That was one thing he was always telling him he wished for that Pony and Darry could be close to each other, as close as he was to both of them. Now it looked like it was starting to happen only bad thing was that it took Soda getting shot to make it happen.

"I wanna know about Soda, where the hell is Soda?" I heard a voice yelling from around the corner and I immeaditely knew it was Two-Bit.

"Young man calm down," I heard the nurse answer back, "If you want a soda you can go to the cafeteria and get one."

Dumb broad, I thought, she thinks he wants something to drink. I got up to get him before he said something to her and got himself thrown out.

"Hey Two-Bit"

**Two-Bit's POV**

I turned upon hearing my name and Steve was standing there looking tired and ragged. Any other time I would have made some silly wisecrack about it but right now I was focused on finding out how Soda was. I couldn't believe my dad could do this. How could he shoot one of my best friends and then try to blame it all on Darry claiming that if he hadn't have grabbed him the gun wouldn't have gone off. That was bull shit. I hated that man right now more than ever and if Soda dies I will make sure that he pays for it, I promised myself.

"Steve, how's Soda? Where was he hit? How are Darry and Pony doing, are they alright? " I was screaming questions at him not waiting for him to answer one before I asked another.

"Calm down, Two-Bit. Darry and Pony are fine they're just around the corner. Soda was hit in the shoulder, the doc said that there wasn't any permeant damage but the bullet did nick a major artery so he lost a lot of blood and they're having to give him more. He passed out before the ambulance got there and he still hasn't woken up," Steve told me and I could hear the worry in his voice.

"Have y'all seen him yet does he look alright?"

"No we haven't seen him. The doc says it'll be a few hours before we can. How'd you find out about this any how?"

"That bastard showed up at my house right afterwards. He kept saying that he didn't mean to shoot nobody and that it was all an accident, that the gun was only meant to scare y'all and that he never intended to actually use it, crap like that. Where did you say Darry was, I need to talk to him. "

"He's around the corner but-" he said more but I didn't hear it cause I had my back to him by then walking to where he said Darry and Pony were.

I found them asleep and I was debating on whether or not to wake them when Darry opened his eyes. I couldn't help but think he was gonna hate me. He probably wouldn't want to see me anymore and who could blame him my dad had come back to town after years of being away and shot his little brother.

"Two-Bit?" he asked still half asleep.

"Yeah Darry it's me. Look if you want me to leave I will. I just came by to see how Soda was and all?"

"No Two-Bit I don't want you to leave and I'm sure Soda will be glad that you're here when he wakes up,"Darry said standing up and putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Have the cops been by yet?"

"Ya why?"

"You need to call them, tell them you know where the guy that did this ran off to."

"Where's he at, Two-Bit?" Darry asked his whole body tensing up with anger.

"My house."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

**Darry's POV**

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I mean I didn't really think that that bastartd would go crawling back to his family. I hated him even more now. I knew Two-Bit was probably blaming himself for what his father had done, but he wasn't the one to blame. His dad was and partly me. I was the enabler, everything I had done or not done had enabled Roger to be there in the first place.

"I'm not sure that he's still there but he was when I left," Two-Bit said bringing me out of my thoughts.

"I'll get the nurse to call the cops,"Steve volunteered heading towards the registration desk.

I looked at Pony who was still asleep on the small couch we had been sitting on. I had layed him all the way down when I had stood up to speak with Two-Bit. I couldn't believe we were gonna actually get that bastard so quickly. Seconds later, Dr. Richardson appeared to tell us that Soda had woken up and was asking for us. I shook Pony awake and we followed the doctor down the hall into the little room that they had moved Soda to.

**Soda's POV**

My brothers had entered the room that I was in and I was so happy to see have them there. When I had finally come back to reality, all I had seen were nurses hustling about me and I had so desperately wanted to see a familiar face. At first the doctor had told me that he thought it was too soon for visitors but I begged and begged and told him that I needed to see my brothers and he finally relented. Now here they were, both standing in the doorway with weary faces. Well, that just won't do, I thought so I grinned and said, "See, guys, I told ya that I'd be alright."

Pony ran to me and hugged my neck.

"Oh god Soda we were so worried that we were gonna lose you too,"he said releasing me.

Darry had walked over by then and was standing at the end of my bed shaking his head.

"You sure scared us, little buddy, especially when you passed out before the ambulance got there."

"I'm sorry," I answered trying to adjust my position in the bed.

"Don't worry bout it, little buddy, we're all just glad that you're okay. Steve and Two-Bit are in the waiting room, the doctor said you could only have two visitors at a time."

"Two-Bit's here? How'd he take the news about his dad?"

"He's pretty pissed. We weren't the ones that told him though apparently Roger showed up at his house pleading for help. Steve called the cops to let them know where the bastard was."

Good, I thought, at least he won't get a chance to do this to somebody else. I was still a little confused as to why Roger had done this in the first place. I mean he knew us, he and Dad had been friends, he knew we didn't have a lot of money or valuables and yet he had still come there looking for it.

"Did he say why he did this?" I asked nervously hoping that there would be some kind of explaination.

"I don't know I haven't got the full story from Two-Bit yet all he's said so far was that Roger was there,"Darry answered me shaking his head, "But don't you worry, buddy, they're gonna catch him and he's gonna pay for this and I'm gonna make sure it that this will never happen again."

"What do you mean?" I asked even though I was pretty sure that I already knew the answer to that question.

"Tomorrow, I'm getting a new lock for the door and we're gonna start locking the house up," he said firmly.

"Oh come on, Dar, don't do that."

**Pony's POV**

What? Was Soda crazy? He had almost died because someone came into the house and shot him and he was still telling Darry that we should leave the door unlocked?

"Why not Soda?" I asked him.

"Look you guys that door being unlocked has saved people from doing something crazy more times than I'd like to think about. Come on Steve showed up to the house tonight after getting into it with his old man. What do you think would have happened if he the door had been locked and he didn't have a safe place to cool off."

"Well I'll make sure that Steve and Two-Bit have a key then, " Darry answered him trying to pacify him but it didn't work.

"It's not just about them Darry. They aren't the only people who have crashed on our couch because they had no where else to go."

I understood where he was coming from but I agreed with Darry on this.

"I agree with Darry on this one, Soda," I said quietly as my brothers both turned their attention to me.

"What?" Soda asked shocked.

"I agree with Darry. I mean I'm all for helping people but you weren't the one sitting there watching as someone put a gun to the head of someone you loved, you weren't the one watching the blood pour from the body of that same person. You weren't the one thinking that you had lost someone else you loved. I know all of this was hard on you Soda but it was hard on us too. And I don't wanna go through that again. Not with you, not with Darry, not with anyone; and if there is something we can do to prevent it than I think we should."

I had been looking down the whole time I spoke not wanting to face my brothers. I knew Darry would be happy and when I looked up he was standing there with a look of relief on his face. But when I looked at Soda he looked confused and hurt.

**A/N: Okay folks were getting close to the end here just a little more still to come maybe one or two more chapters.  
But I need your opinions on deciding on the whole door locking thing. Should Soda convince them to leave things as they were or should he just give up and let Darry do what he feels he needs to do and lock the door? Let me know what you think in your review. Hope you enjoyed. Thanks for reading.**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thank you so much for all your input and reviews they really did help a lot. Here's the next chapter and you may be a little suprised about where this is going.**

Chapter Eleven

**Darry's POV**

I stood there completely in shock after what Pony had said. I was really suprised that he was taking my side against Soda. That was a rare event in our house. During in his speech though my mind kept floating back to the events of the night and I couldn't help but think about the what if's. I kind of understood what Soda was saying about not locking the door but I was still admant that it was gonna be locked.

"Look Soda this isn't up for debate. I'm locking the door from now on and that's final. I will get keys made for you, me, Pony, Steve and Two-Bit but that's it. The police may be on their way to arrest the guy who did this to you but I'm not about to risk someone else trying to do what he did and doing worse. It's as simple as that."

"But Darry," he pleaded, "We can't let one night, one person's actions rule our lives. That would mean we were living in fear and that he had control over us still. I don't know about you two but I'm not about to let him control me, he's done enough of that already."

"Please, just listen to Darry about this Soda. Don't be stubborn about this situation." Pony begged.

"I'm not trying to be stubborn about this but you guys just won't listen you don't get it."

"God, little buddy, weren't you listening to anything that Pony just told you? I know where you're coming from buddy, I really do. But the door is being locked and that's the end of the discussion," I said firmly.

Soda put his good arm across his chest and turned his face to the window like a two-year-old pouting because they didn't get there way. Maybe my words had been a little harsh especially after everything that had just happened but I wasn't about to change my mind.

"Come on Soda talk to us," Pony begged but he just sat there pouting and on the verge of tears.

"Excuse me?" came a voice from the doorway.

I turned and looked and it was the doctor.

"Is there something wrong doctor," I asked worried.

"Um no but there are some police men out in the waiting room who would like to speak with you, Mr. Curtis."

I nodded my head sighed. I exited the room leaving Pony to convince Soda to stop pouting. I knew it would probably take him awhile though cause Soda can be pretty hard headed and determined when it comes to certain things.

I walked in the waiting room and the two uniformed officers that I had spoken to before about the events surrounding Soda's shooting were standing there and they didn't look too happy.

"So did you catch him was he there?" I asked eagerly

"Um no, Mr. Curtis, he wasn't where you told us he might be. In fact we don't know where he might be. A car was stolen just down the street from the house we searched and we're pretty sure it's him because we found these laying in the road next to where the car had been parked," one of the officers, I think his name was Green, said handing me a set of keys.

I looked them over and discovered that they were the keys to my truck.

"Are they yours sir?" the other one asked.

"Yes they're mine. But I don't understand, if he had these why did he steal another car, why didn't he just take the truck?"

"Um we have a car watching your house to make sure he doesn't come back tonight. He probably didn't take the truck when he orginally fled because he was in such a rush to get out of there."

"Do you have any idea where he might have gone?" I asked them secretly hoping that they had found some other clue that would tell them where he was.

"No sir we were actually hoping that you might be able to help us with that."

"I wish I could but it's like I explained to you earlier, I haven't seen him in years. I wouldn't even know the first place to tell you to start looking."

"Thank you anyways. If you do think of something please call us." Officer Green said before they both left.

Well that's just wonderful, I thought. Any misgivings I had about locking the door went out of mind the moment they told me that Roger was still out there. I didn't know if he'd come back or not but I wasn't taking any chances. This was not going to happen again. I wasn't gonna let it. I was gonna do my job and keep both Soda and Pony safe. I had failed at it once before but I wasn't gonna fail this time. There was no way in hell something like this was gonna happen again. No way in hell.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: This is the last chapter. I have had so much fun writing this and I hope that everyone had just as much fun reading it. I already have some ideas for a couple of more stories and will probably start on them soon. Thanks everyone and here we go.**

Chapter Twelve

**Pony's POV**

Soda came home from the hospital after a couple of days and he was so excited he had said that the doctors and nurses wouldn't let him move around or get up much and it was just about to drive him crazy. I was glad too because our house just wasn't the same without Soda there. Darry had gone through with his promise to lock the door. Soda still tried to argue with him about it but he finally relented realizing that Darry was just protecting us and was still a little paranoid about what had happened. Now even in the house he wanted to know where we were and who we were with at all times. I thought he was going a little overboard but I wasn't about to say anything to him about it.

I knew part of it was because the police hadn't found Roger yet. Two-Bit had acted a little nervous around Soda after he came home, he kept apologizing for what had happened. But we all kept telling him that it wasn't his fault and finally after a couple of days he accepted I guess, cause he went back to his wisecracking self. Soda hadn't changed at all really the whole thing didn't seem to affect him that much at least that's what I thought until I found him on the back porch one day smoking.

"What are you doing smoking? Is something wrong?"

"Not really," he shrugged.

"Oh come on Soda I know you better than that. What's up?"

"It's just that well, I can't stop thinking about everything that happened. Sometimes I even have nightmares about him coming back. I don't know why either."

Soda was having nightmares? How come I had never heard him scream or wake up?

"I don't want it to be like this but that night I was so scared. I have never been that scared before. Then when I saw who it was, well that scared me even more. It scared me because he knew us, he knew that we didn't have a lot of money or valuables and yet it didn't matter. He wanted what little we had anyways. Plus we never really got a reason as to why he had done it. He never got caught so we couldn't ask him and he never explained it to anyone. All he told Two-Bit and his mom was that he needed the money. It just bugs me that's all."

"I know big brother, it bugs me too."

"Not to mention the fact that everyone else keeps blaming themselves for what happened. Two-Bit and Darry both think it's their fault but I don't, the only person I blame is Roger himself."

He was shaking a little and I put my arm around his shoulders to try and calm him down. I hadn't known that this was affecting him so much, he had seemed like his old self. I was wrong though he had just been keeping it all inside not wanting to worry us but I was glad that he was telling me now. We sat there for a few more minutes before Darry hollered at us that dinner was ready.

"Hey Pony,"Soda said before opening the door.

"Yeah?"

"I'm kinda glad that Darry locked the door," he smiled and went inside with me right behind him.

**Soda's POV**

It had been a few months since the break in and I was finally getting back to normal. I hadn't had a nightmare in weeks and my arm wasn't hurting anymore. I still wasn't able to use it as well as I had before but the doc said that I would be fully healed in another week or so. The police had found the car Roger had stolen in a little town about two hours from here called Hugo but they still hadn't found him yet. I was starting to accept the fact that he probably wouldn't be found and that I would never why he had done what he did. I was actually starting to get over it.

"Come on you two, up and at em!" Darry shouted from the kitchen.

I shook Ponyboy awake then rolled out of bed and headed for the shower. I got dressed and was carrying my shoes and socks with me when I strolled into the kitchen for breakfast. Everything was getting back to normal, Darry and Pony were sitting at the table eating breakfast and I sat down in my usual seat across from Pony.

"You better hurry and eat Soda or you're gonna make us late again,"Darry ordered rising from the table with his empty plate.

"Knock, knock," Two-Bit and Steve yelled before entering the house.

Darry had already unlocked the door that morning so they both just came strolling inside. I looked around the room and smilied everything was getting back to normal, we'd been through a lot but we'd made it through still in tact. We were gonna be just fine.

"Soda are you even listening to me?" Darry barked bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Um I'm sorry what did you say?" I stammered.

"I said if you aren't done with that plate in five minutes you're gonna have to find another way to work."

I gobbled down my eggs and jelly and chugged my chocolate milk. Ya, I thought, everything is gonna be just fine.

**A/N: Well that's all folks. I hope you liked the ending. As always read and review please.**


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